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Home-grown Huh installed as new South Korea coach

South Korea installed a homegrown coach at the helm of its national soccer team for the first time in seven years yesterday, breaking away from its strong penchant for Dutchmen following their semi-final success in the 2002 World Cup.

Huh Jung-moo, coach of local K-League side Chonnam Dragons, was named to lead South Korea through qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, an official of the Korea Football Association said on customary condition of anonymity, citing protocols.

The official declined to give details, including the terms of Huh's contract.

The new coach replaces Pim Verbeek of the Netherlands who resigned in August following the squad's third place finish at the Asian Cup. The post has since been vacant. Verbeek was named new Australian coach on Thursday.

Huh coached South Korea from 1998 to 2000 before the country began naming foreigners for the post, starting with Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

Hiddink, now Russia's coach, guided South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup that the country co-hosted with Japan, making the squad the first Asian team to progress so far. That made Hiddink a national hero in South Korea.

After Hiddink, South Korea appointed four other foreign coaches -- all of them Dutch, except Humberto Coelho of Portugal. The other Dutch-born coaches were Jo Bonfrere, Dick Advocaat and Verbeek.

Local media reported that South Korea tried to hire a foreigner this time too, but had to settle for a local coach after offers were turned down by former France coach Gerard Houllier and former Ireland coach Mick McCarthy.

Huh was one of the best known South Korean players in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for leading Dutch-side PSV Eindhoven from 1980 to 1983.

He is held in high regard in Korea and leading the Chunnam Dragons to back-to-back cups wins in 2006 and last year has only enhanced his reputation.

"We highly value his knowledge of both domestic and international soccer," KFA technical committee director Lee Young-moo told a news conference yesterday.

"We believe he is outstanding in terms of his competitiveness, his strong mindset and being able to get the best out of the players in a short space of time," Lee said.

Huh's first real test will come on Feb. 6 when South Korea kick off their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign against Turkmenistan.
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